Medicare pilot program in OK to use private company AI to determine coverage for services

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Artificial intelligence is reportedly making its way into a traditional Medicare pilot program that six states, including Oklahoma, will test out. It has to do with patients needing prior approval for certain procedures, something KFOR reported on back in July.

Under the program, AI would determine if Oklahoma traditional Medicare patients would be covered for some procedures.

"Insurance companies and the government are now getting in the way of us, between us and the patients,” Oklahoma State Medical Association President Dr. Sumit Nanda said.

In mid-July, KFOR’s Mecca Thompson reported on the new implementation of Medicare’s prior authorization for certain procedures. Nanda said that worries him about the impact it’ll have on treatment.

"Prior authorization res